A large number of organic compounds which exhibit liquid crystallinity at certain defined elevated temperature ranges have been proposed. Furthermore, a number of polymers have been proposed which contain groups which contain mesogenic groups in the main chain or side chain and which thus exhibit liquid crystallinity in themselves. Organopolysiloxanes which exhibit liquid crystallinity are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,358,391; 4,410,570; and 4,774,028. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,391 describes a straight-chain organopolysiloxane having side chain mesogenic groups, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,410,570 describes the analogous cyclic polysiloxanes, and 4,774,028 describes the analogous branched organopolysiloxanes.
However, these organopolysiloxanes known from the art generally exhibit liquid crystallinity at high temperatures and, therefore, do not exhibit liquid crystallinity unless subjected to appreciable heating.
Based on a consideration of the problem occurring with prior liquid-crystalline organopolysiloxanes as described above, the present invention takes as its object the introduction of novel organopolysiloxanes which exhibit liquid crystallinity at relatively low temperatures, and in particular in the vicinity of room temperature. A method for their preparation is also disclosed.